She is the real deal

Americans saw history made last night if they watched the republican convention and met the vivacious, intelligent, poised and utterly charming Sarah Palin! I had no idea what to expect because I knew little if anything about her or her career path to her governorship. But first impressions make a lasting one and I was blown away by this woman. Finally some one with guts and the firepower and brain to back them up.

The ticket she is on and her presidential running mate scored a grand slam. Did you ever hear someone say " sally and mark really seem to compliment each other" when we see them together? I have some friends from California who fall into that category....one person compliments the other and because of that unity they have a successful career life and a happy home life too. It is an example of a successful relationship. Although Sarah Pilan and John McCain aren't married, the chemistry she brings to the table was just what the doctor ordered for our nation.

I think we just saw our future last night.

I Was There

: "MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL" PLEASE READ TO THE VERY END, IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!!
'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL' You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001. Neither will I. I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK..I am ready to go.' I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night. I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said. 'Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now.' I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered. I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them. I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan . I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me? I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor. Some sought Me with their last breath. Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But, I was there. I did not place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me? Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey for you. But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are 'ready to go.' I will be in the stairwell of your final moments. God During the next 60 seconds, stop whatever you are doing, and take this opportunity. (Literally it is only 1 minute.) All you have to do is the following: Stop and think and appreciate God's power in your life, for doing what you know is pleasing to Him. If you are not ashamed to do this, follow the instructions. Jesus said, 'If you are ashamed of Me, I will be ashamed of you before My Father' If you are not ashamed, copy and send this message...only if you believe 'Yes, I love my God. He is my fountain of Life and My Savior. He Keeps me going day and night. Without Him, I am no one. But with Him, I can do everything. Christ is my strength.' Prayer chain for our Military...please don't break it THIS NEEDS TO GO AROUND THE USA MANY TIMES SO KEEP IT GOING

Laboring on Labor Day

Hi Guys: Paula doesn't know I am posting this which makes it even more fun. We got a good bit a rain the last couple of days and the grass just sprang up and needed to be cut. Paula loves the new lawn tractor we got in May or June so here she is in vivo.....The Bear on the Move!

Later!!

God is trying to tell us something through nature.

Hi everybody: I trust that this little message finds you all well and safe. Tonight I just wanted to extend my best wishes and prayers to all those displaced people due to hurricane Gustav. Please be reassured that the world is not spinning out of control but rather that all these nature signs of God's power are a nudge in the ribs to all those folks who don't know Him that the time for a personal relationship with Him is drawing short. To those of us who do know Him, we have nothing to fear because eternity awaits us. I was watching "Saving Private Ryan" for the umpteenth time which is based on a family near Buffalo, by the way, and the little mousy interpreter said something like "if God be on our side than who can be against us"? Then the Jewish soldier said ' la la la la la la la la, is that it you crazy little @*%$*^? In a word, yes that is it! Homes cans be rebuilt, personal property can be replaced but once a soul is lost it is lost forever. For my dear friends in Charleston, you will get a mild taste of what a hurricane is all about next week sometime. It is kinda like a nor'easter with a little more punch and rain instead of snow. LOTS OF RAIN. For my brother in Oregon...I always have liked elephants better than tigers anyway. O.K. guys, I'm outa here. Be safe and I'll holler at you later.

Persistance

Hi everybody. If anyone watched last night's game vs. N.C. State it just showed that no matter how bad you may be...if you hang in there and keep on swinging then persistance will pay off. Our first quarterback of the evening was just plain awful. Thank goodness our defensive line was pumped to give us a chance to win. Our second quarterback of the night seemed to fare much better and that locked the game up. Of course, when the opposing center hikes the ball about 20 yards over the head of his quarterback on two occasions that helps our cause too. If someone would have asked me if it would be possible to win a football game with a quarterback who throws 4 interceptions in the first half I would have said impossible. I guess that shows you how much I know.
I am glad the QB for N.C. State is doing well after that high and low crushing sack he took in the first quarter. Kudos to the EMS people at Williams Brice. I thought that possibly this could be a disaster for this kid's life and career in his first game at QB with his mother watching the game from the stands. But, as their coach said" he's in God's hands and with the medical people so that all I can say". Amen to that! His prognosis is excellent on last report.
By the way, if anyone out there needs a job, come out to practice on Monday and if you can throw a football 10-15 yards to a guys with the same color jersey as yours, you might be our starter for the next game. :) I saw that UCONN (who?) won impressively last night. I thought they just played basketball. I was indeed saddened by hearing that the the Oregon State Beavers had lost. You have GOTTA love a mascot named Beavers. I had better quit or some distasteful joke will spring onto the page. That's it for now. Joe

Enjoying the unexpected

A couple of days ago I remarked on taking time to slow down and appreciate the "small things" that we normally take for granted. I was lacking in expressing to you the enjoyment, as opposed to the fear, of life's surprises. All of us have heard the expression "I don't like surprises". This is most likely attributed to an unexpected, sudden event that occurred in ones' past and resulted in something that wasn't pleasant or even life-altering in a bad way. I like to call it the Charlie Brown Syndrome. Regardless, I received a phone call last night from someone who I consider to be my closest, dearest friend, a member of the family and my brother. It was TOTALLY unexpected but what a great surprise it was!!! In the past he was there for me in a moments' notice when my health was quite poor (not that it is so great now) :) and had travelled a considerable distance to do so. Of course, when I was healthy we shared many happy moments together playing a mutually loved sport and just hanging out together watching movies, eating wings with GOOD vodka and talking about everything under the sun. Now... I, like everyone, has had unexpected "surprises" that elicited sadness or even shock, worry about the future...or even if there would be a future. However, I read something today that I thought might he a nice reassurance to us all. Very simply put it said " Be careful ( worry) for nothing but in every thing ... let your requests ( stuff you need ) and worries be made known unto God." "Then the peace you look for will keep your hearts and minds assured. " Also, this peace will help you in "being content in whatever situation you may find yourself". (Phil. 4: 6 and 11.) Trust me when I tell you, that after a little bit of thought and some self reflection on this little passage that surprises aren't something to be wary of but rather something that was planned for our lives that we just didn't know about yet. Life truly is cool because we never know what tomorrow will bring so in reality, most every new day is a surprise. Take care guys and worry about nothing....it just ain't worth it.

Phenomenal

Hi everybody: Since my health has declined over the past several months I have been forced to sit down and actually take a look around me and appreciate some of the "smaller" things in life that all of us probably take for granted. I am not referring to modern conveniences and all the technology that we have at our dispsoal that makes our life easier. What I am am referring to are things like the moon, the stars, and nature. I grew up twenty miles from Niagara Falls and knew it was there and visited often as a teenager but never really appreciated its awesome power and beauty. It wasn't until my wife, Paula, saw the falls for the first time in 1980 that I really marveled at their majesty. My wife stood by the rail, right at the brink of the falls and said "this is so awe striking I don't know what to say, Joe". I could barely hear her over the deafening roar of the water. That was twenty eight years ago.
Sitting here now, I am watching a squirrel working diligently in my back yard. All the world seems to be in turmoil but yet this squirrel knows what to do and when to do it because its' creator is in control. I'd like all of you who read this posting to read the following objectively and with some thought and see if it doesn't perhaps act as a reassurance to you in these troubled times.
"When I consider the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have created, what is man...that you are so caring of him and his children that you make Yourself known to him and crown him with honor and glory? You have allowed him to have control over the things that You created! O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth".
Psalm 8.
David ( an all powerful king) wrote this over 2000 years ago but what was true then is true now. In a nutshell, look around in a quiet moment on a starry night and just give these words a thought. Awesome!!